2 A worthy wife brings joy to her husband,
peaceful and full is his life.

3

A good wife is a generous gift bestowed upon
him who fears the LORD;

4

Be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a
smile is ever on his face.

5

There are three things at which my heart quakes,
a fourth before which I quail: Though false charges in public, trial before all
the people, and lying testimony are harder to bear than death,

6

3 A jealous wife is heartache and mourning and a
scourging tongue like the other three.

7

A bad wife is a chafing yoke; he who marries
her seizes a scorpion.

8

A drunken wife arouses great anger, for she
does not hide her shame.

9

By her eyelids and her haughty stare an
unchaste wife can be recognized.

10

Keep a strict watch over an unruly wife, lest,
finding an opportunity, she make use of it;

11

Follow close if her eyes are bold, and be not
surprised if she betrays you:

12

As a thirsty traveler with eager mouth drinks
from any water that he finds, So she settles down before every tent peg and
opens her quiver for every arrow.

13

A gracious wife delights her husband, her
thoughtfulness puts flesh on his bones;

14

A gift from the LORD is her governed speech,
and her firm virtue is of surpassing worth.

15

Choicest of blessings is a modest wife,
priceless her chaste person.

16

Like the sun rising in the LORD'S heavens, the
beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home.

17

4 Like the light which shines above the holy
lampstand, are her beauty of face and graceful figure.

18

5 Golden columns on silver bases are her shapely
limbs and steady feet.

19

These two bring grief to my heart, and the
third arouses my horror: A wealthy man reduced to want; illustrious men held in
contempt; And the man who passes from justice to sin, for whom the LORD makes
ready the sword.

20

6 A merchant can hardly remain upright, nor a
shopkeeper free from sin;

1 [1-4, 13-18] A good wife is as a
gift from God, bringing joy and peace, happiness and contentment to her husband
(⇒ Sirach 26:1-4) through her thoughtfulness,
reserve, modesty and chastity, beauty, grace and virtue
(⇒ Sirach 26:13-18).

4 [17-18] The holy lampstand and the
golden columns stood in the holy place of the ancient Tabernacle
(⇒ Exodus 25:31-40;
⇒ 26:32).

5 [18] Among the additions found here
in some manuscripts are the following lines: "My son, take care in the
prime of life not to surrender your strength to strangers; Single out from the
land a goodly field and there with confidence sow the seed of your increase; So
shall you have your offspring around you, and in confidence shall they grow up.

"Through
a woman for hire be thought of as a trifle, a married woman is a deadly snare
for those who embrace her. [Cf ⇒ Proverb 6:26]
"A wife's complaint should be made in meekness, and show itself in a
slight flush; But a loud-mouthed, scolding wife is a trumpet signaling for
battle: Any human being who answers that challenge will spend his life amid the
turbulence of war."

6
[⇒ 26:20-⇒ 27:15] From
proper conduct in family life, the author proceeds to social morality, warning
especially against injustice in commerce (⇒ Sirach
26:20-⇒ 27:3), and perversity of speech in
business (⇒ Sirach 26:4-7). The pursuit of justice
in these matters is all the more meritorious as it is difficult
(⇒ Sirach 26:8-10). The discourses of the devout are
marked with wisdom, but the conversations of the wicked, with offense,
swearing, cursing, quarrels and even bloodshed (⇒ Sirach
26:11-15).